Cards vs Reds: Homers, GIDPs, and "Jim Rolls" as Cincy Sweeps Series

First, let me start out by saying I felt Todd's pain last night. He would get guys on, they would steal 2nd base, but then he would impressively roll the "7" and "9" outs on his columns 99.9% of the time. Or roll into a double play. He was frustrated but man, did he handle it like a pro. Even hitting the infamous "Jim roll" in big situations, he was still in all of these games! 

Game 1

Waldron vs Knack

Reds 5, Cardinals 2

Battle of the #5 starters would have you think this would be a shootout, but of course not. The Reds start a small rally in the 4th, scoring 2 off 3 hits and a walk, but Mike Tauchman leads off the 5th with a solo blast for the Cards to cut the lead to 1. However, the Reds come back with some insurance runs in the 6th as known power hitter Patrick Bailey crushes a 3-run dinger in the frame. The Cards got a run back in the 7th, and had 1st and 3rd in the 8th, but one of their SEVEN GIDP's for the series came when Alec Burleson smashed one to 2nd for an inning ending DP. Trevor Megill works a 1-2-3 9th for his 6th save. 

Game 2

Herz vs Wacha

Reds 5, Cardinals 2

The Cardinals actually took the lead in this one in the 1st, and then decided not to score the rest of the game. The Reds pulled off another 2-out error that lead to Yelich scoring on a 2-base error by Yaz, and then a double by William Contreras brought in Freddie from 2nd. Wacha reamed out his teammates, and went to work after that, posting 6IP 2H 3BB 5K 2R/0ER. Herz was just as good through 5, scattering 4 H and a BB, but was left in too long as Geno Suarez crushes a 2-run shot and Casey Schmitt goes back to back to make it a 3-2 Reds game. In familiar fashion, the Cards get 1st and 3rd immediately after the Reds scoring, but this time it's Jake Cronenworth who wants to hit into the inning ending double play. Stanton and De La Cruz hit homers in the 7th and 8th to give some cushion to make it 5-2, which I thought we would need as the Cardinals got the bases loaded off Megill in the 9th with 2 outs, but Freddie Freeman grounded out to end the game. 

Game 3

Imanaga vs Gallen

Reds 7, Cardinals 5

The Reds were up 6-0 through 4 in this one after homers by Scmitt, Joey Bart and Laser Ramon. But the Cardinals fought to stay in this one as TJ Friedl woke the Cardinals bats up with a 2-run shot off Gallen in the 5th. Laureano hit an insurance homer for his 2nd of the day in the 7th, and the Reds would need the padding as OMG Jose Iglesias makes it a game with a 3-run homer off Dedniel Nunez in the 7th. With Michael Tonkin tasked for the save, he also gives the Reds manager a heart attack by putting men on 2nd and 3rd in the 9th with 1 out, but Iglesias rolls his "Jim roll". Taking no chances, Robert Suarez comes in and records the final out for his 2nd save of the year.  

Game 4

Gausman vs Greene

Reds 5, Cardinals 4

The Reds took a 4-0 lead through 3 off a Betts 2-run shot, a sac fly, and a Christian Walker solo shot. After doing nothing thru 3, the Cards got on the board with a William Contreras 2-run homer. A Geno Suarez solo shot in the 7th ultimately played the winning factor as the pesky Cardinals got 2 men on in the 9th, and got a run...but from a GIDP (what else). Arenado rolls a ball over to 3rd to put the dagger into the Cards.

In Cincy, it decided to play like the homer park we all know. We outhomered the Cardinals 12:5. While Ketel Marte went 0-14, which is impressive in its own right, his defense actually killed a ton of rallies from the Cardinals.